MDA to Help Search for Proof of Life on Mars

Richmond, B.C. - MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (TSX: MDA) announced today that subsidiary, MD Robotics, has won a $1.5 million CDN ExoMars Mission contract from the European Space Agency. The prime contract is one of two parallel Phase A studies to define a robotic rover and its science payload that will be sent to the Red Planet in 2009.

The European Space Agency is undertaking an aggressive technology development program that will lead to two Mars missions over the next decade. In addition to its work on the U.S.-based NASA Phoenix Mars mission scheduled for 2007, MDA is positioning itself as a key player on other international Mars exploration missions. The Company will be working with some of Europe's largest aerospace contractors, including Alcatel of France, Alenia, CGS, and Laben of Italy, and Kayser-Threde of Germany.

For the ExoMars Mission, the Pasteur Exobiology Payload and Rover will play the central role in achieving the mission's main goal of science data collection. MDA's design will be based on its expertise in space robotics, rovers, specialized automated equipment, and sensors for planetary missions.

The contract was won through a competitive process and directly supports MDA's objective to take the leading role in space robotics and advanced guidance and navigation systems for the European Space Agency's planetary exploration missions.